2 sons, 2 languages, 2 countries, 2 "worlds" (work/home), 2 PhDs.
Where translation and "in-between-ness" have become a way of life.
Now with 2 cats & 2 Universities!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Good thing I didn't blog about the "Contingency Saga" yesterday!

...or I would have cheerfully written that my meeting with NH (new hire) had gone well yesterday afternoon and that it looked like the problem might be solved pretty easily.

ha, ha, ha!

NOT!

Just got an email from NH explaining that it's more complicated than what I thought it was. Silly me, didn't ask for more details on the Friday meeting with the chair. (I panicked/despaired & I wanted out of his office ASAP) Or I could have argued with facts and numbers against the dean's determination that I was to teach only 2 classes in the Fall and 1 in the Spring.

Do they think I will drive 152 miles to teach ONE CLASS?

Wrong!

Can they hire someone else right to move there and teach 3 classes a year?

I don't think so. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe everyone else is more desperate than me and they'd move across the country to do that. (?) (in any case I think they can only advertise a full-time position. And they're totally taking me for granted right now. Because I'm replaceable).

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You know, before I continue, let me just say that I'm confident that I'll find a solution somehow -- be it teaching more classes at U#1 or trying to convince them to hire me full-time, or even continuing at U#2. I have faith that things will be OK, but I still feel the need to commiserate and argue and to talk about trying to solve the problem -- something that is stressful. So I don't want to sound hopeless and angry and upset as I continue to write about this "saga," OK? Thanks.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In any case... yeah. I don't know what else I was going to write before going on my digression. It's hard not to be angry at the system, very hard. That's why years and years ago I blogged about my Phd as useless. Because it is. I feel sorry for all MA and Phd students out there, I seriously do. That's why it would be a relief not to be crossing them on the halls anymore. "Look at me! I am you tomorrow!" (not really 'cause this is a top department and they may get jobs, unlike me).

OK, you don't want to hear what's in my head right now, I should stop.

1 comment:

I'm with you. I would be super frustrated about being expected to drive 152 miles for one class. I've always been taught that institutions, even large ones, should take better care of their people than that.

About Me

I'm a Brazilian immigrant (used to say expatriate, have problems with this word now), living in the U.S. since 1996 with my husband and two sons (born in March 2002 and May 2004). I'm a mother, first and foremost, -- mamãe in my mother-tongue, hence the (e) of the blog title -- but after "ten years and two sons" I finally finished my Ph.D. in literature in 2008. After six years away from teaching (including a year home/cyber schooling my sons - 2009-10), I'm finally back in higher-education. I've been blogging here for eleven years, so welcome to my site and feel free to stay for a while and look around. Our lives are a roller coaster, never lacking in ups and downs! ;-)